German Chancellor Merz Demands Unanimous EU Budgetary Support for Ukraine

### Berlin Sees Intensifying Budget Battles Over Ukrainian Aid

In a decisive move to solidify Europe's geopolitical stance, German Chancellor Olaf Merz declared on Tuesday, November 10, that the European Union must maintain an unwavering and unanimous front in its support for Ukraine. Speaking during a press conference in Berlin, Merz emphasized that the support provided to Kyiv cannot be allowed to diminish, regardless of the internal political pressures facing individual member states.

Central to Merz's strategy is a proposal for the new round of EU budget negotiations, which are slated to take place for the period beginning in 2028. According to reports, the German Chancellor envisions a budget that fundamentally shifts the union's priorities. He is advocating for a significant increase in defense expenditures and a concerted effort to enhance the EU's global economic competitiveness. Crucially, Merz intends for this budgetary framework to serve as a mechanism to ensure that every single EU member state contributes to the support of Ukraine, effectively making the aid a collective obligation rather than a voluntary gesture.

This position has already ignited a diplomatic firestorm. Earlier on Tuesday, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico launched a sharp critique of the German leader. Fico accused Merz of utilizing the EU budget negotiations as a lever to force compliance on the Ukraine issue, describing the strategy as a form of "blackmail." The friction between Bratislava and Berlin underscores the deep-seated divisions within the bloc regarding how to manage the conflict in Eastern Europe.

During his appearance alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Mojzer, Merz acknowledged the volatility of the current atmosphere. "We are facing difficult budget negotiations within the European Union," he admitted. He argued that support for Ukraine must be comprehensively integrated into the EU budget to ensure sustainability. While acknowledging that several member states—at least four, by his count—hold opposing views, Merz remained steadfast in his belief that collective responsibility is the only way forward.

Further details regarding the financial scale of this proposal were revealed in a letter sent by Merz to the President of the European Council, António Costa. The correspondence highlights a looming financial crisis for Kyiv, with an estimated funding gap of approximately 70 billion euros expected for the coming year. Merz suggests that the European Union should take the lead in filling this void, specifically proposing that the EU provide around 45 billion euros of that total amount.

The resistance to this plan is not new. Prime Minister Fico has been a consistent critic of the EU's current trajectory regarding Ukraine, frequently opposing the provision of military assistance. This sentiment is mirrored in the history of EU financial packages. In December of last year, the European Union agreed to a massive 90 billion euro loan package for Ukraine. However, that initiative saw a fragmented response, with Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary choosing to opt out of the plan, signaling their refusal to participate in new loan schemes for the war-torn nation.

Hungary's Prime Minister Mojzer expressed a more nuanced but still critical perspective on the matter. While he stopped short of using the word "blackmail," he cautioned against the practice of tying the EU budget to separate political issues. Mojzer noted that while everything in the modern world is interconnected, linking budgetary negotiations to specific foreign policy mandates might not send a positive signal to the international community or to the member states themselves.

The clash between Merz's vision of a unified, defense-oriented EU and the sovereignty-focused approach of the Central European states reveals a critical crossroads for the union. As the 2028 budget deadlines approach, the tension between the need for collective security and the internal ideological rift threatens to complicate the EU's ability to project strength and stability on the global stage.